Myst, Might, Mayhem

Chapter 497.16 – Side Story 5 Part 1

White Ghost King (1)

“Mistress! You’re safe!”

The White Ghost King couldn’t hide his joy.

The order he had received from his young master Hong Hae-a was to protect his master’s mother, Iron Fan Immortal.

[Who should I protect her from?]

[There are those desperate to catch me. They will surely target my mother. You must protect her.]

[I accept your command, young master!]

However, upon arriving at Plantain Leaf Peak, he couldn’t help but feel both anger and despair.

He had wanted to carry out the young master’s order to be forgiven by the Great Strength King, but he felt self-loathing for failing to even protect her.

The White Ghost King had heard from Ash-Faced Demon, one of Iron Fan Immortal’s Three Heroes with long gray hair, that she had been abducted by an unknown person.

Thinking it might be an ancient immortal, he was going to report to the young master first, but he had flown here in a hurry after accidentally discovering her.

“White Ghost King?”

Recognizing him, Iron Fan Immortal frowned her delicate brows and called out.

She couldn’t help but know him, as the Great Strength King had Great Spirit Beasts following him.

Each of these Great Spirit Beasts was a lesser demon with power so strong it wouldn’t be strange for them to be given the title of one of the Six Demons.

However, in a war with the ancient immortals long ago, he had lost his right-hand man, the Yu-Battle King[1], and another one, the White Ghost King, had been imprisoned due to his great anger over some incident.

Puzzled by this, she asked:

“How are you here?”

“The young master released my confinement and gave me a chance for His revival.”

“Hong Hae-a, that child released you?”

“Yes. Though He hasn’t forgiven me yet, I want to achieve merit with this opportunity and become His strength again.”

“How admirable.”

She spoke as if finding something unsatisfactory.

This was because of that certain incident.

Long ago, despite the Great Strength King’s orders, the White Ghost King had left his concubine, the Ten Thousand-Old Fox King‘s daughter, alone, resulting in a major incident where that concubine lost her life.

The White Ghost King had made the excuse that he left his post because of an order Iron Fan Immortal had given in the past, which caused the Great Strength King to become greatly angered. He imprisoned the White Ghost King deep underground and didn’t see her for decades.

Because of this, she didn’t particularly like the White Ghost King.

Even if it was from the distant past.

“Mistress, this is great. When the Lord awakens, once again like before—Mistress?”

The White Ghost King was puzzled.

This was because Iron Fan Immortal was frowning and shaking her head, as if restraining him from saying anything.

Finding this strange, the White Ghost King raised his white eyebrows and looked down at Cheong-ryeong, who was standing guard next to her with her sword drawn.

“Mistress, surely you’re not acting like this because of this prey?”

“Stop!”

Startled by the White Ghost King’s words, Iron Fan Immortal rebuked him.

“Mistress? How—”

“Apologize to the mistress at once!”

“What? Mistress? What on earth are you saying?”

The White Ghost King glared at Cheong-ryeong with a look of genuine bewilderment.

Just by revealing his killing intent, the White Ghost King, a Great Spirit Beast comparable to the Six Demons, made the surrounding air unbearably heavy.

Though she had surpassed even the purple spirit level and even exceeded Profound Realm masters when she was a vengeful spirit, Cheong-ryeong had become infinitely weaker compared to then after her complete reincarnation. She couldn’t face this Great Spirit Beast alone.

However,

She had Iron Fan Immortal, the Great Spirit Beast that Heavenly Demon had made his spirit servant.

Iron Fan Immortal sharply rebuked the White Ghost King, striking his cheek that was pressuring Cheong-ryeong:

“Do you dare disobey my order?”

“Mi-Mistress? But this is just—”

“I said mistress.”

“Mistress? What are you talking about—”

“She is the partner of the one I serve as master.”

“Mistress! What do you mean by the one you serve?”

Suddenly, the White Ghost King recalled what Ash-Faced Demon, one of Iron Fan Immortal’s Three Heroes, had said.

For some unknown reason, Iron Fan Immortal had willingly followed that monster-like being who had overturned Plantain Leaf Cave.

‘That bastard who took the mistress must have used some technique. Otherwise, the mistress would never say such crazy things.’

The White Ghost King’s mind became complicated for a moment.

With his simple and hot-tempered nature, he wanted to kill this human woman and wipe out the human who had used techniques on the mistress, but if the mistress Iron Fan Immortal went berserk due to the technique and tried to attack him, the young master might become angry.

If that happened, even if the Lord revived, the young master might not forgive him.

‘Damn it, what should I do? Should I go along with the mistress for now and not touch this human woman?’

But that was truly disheartening.

To think he had to go along with mere prey.

Right. Let’s take her to the young master for now.

The young master, who is skilled in all sorts of techniques unlike the Lord, might be able to return the mistress to normal.

So the White Ghost King withdrew his killing intent and carefully said:

“I understand. If she is the partner of the one the mistress serves, this White Ghost King shouldn’t treat her carelessly. Human wench—no, woman. I apologize.”

The White Ghost King bowed his head, apologizing to Cheong-ryeong according to human etiquette.

At his attitude, Cheong-ryeong asked Iron Fan Immortal beside her:

“Is this one a lesser demon following the Great Strength King?”

“Yes, he is.”

Iron Fan Immortal answered nonchalantly.

At this sight, the White Ghost King’s fur trembled with how furious he was inside.

‘Endure. Just endure a little longer.’

The White Ghost King said to Iron Fan Immortal:

“Mistress. The young master—”

“Is, is that child still looking for the Golden Nine-Tailed Fox?”

At that moment, Iron Fan Immortal hurriedly changed the subject.

As she did so, she once again frowned at the White Ghost King, sending a look telling him not to talk about Hong Hae-a.

Though she had become a spirit servant, her true desire was to prevent that monster-like human from meeting Hong Hae-a by any means.

However, with Cheong-ryeong beside her, she couldn’t say this openly.

Of course, Cheong-ryeong wasn’t oblivious.

“By young master, you seem to mean Hong Hae-a. You, White Ghost King who follows the Great Strength King, seem to know well where that boy is.”

“Ugh…”

Iron Fan Immortal grabbed her forehead, veins popping out.

This White Ghost King, all brawn and no brains, was about to ruin everything.

Seeing her seemingly in pain, the White Ghost King thought this wouldn’t do and revealed his true intentions:

“Mistress! I don’t know what technique you’ve fallen under, but this lowly one will capture this wench and take her to the young master, so please endure a little longer.”

“No! Don’t you dare do such a thing—agh!”

“Mistress, forgive me!”

With that cry, the White Ghost King reached out his hand to grab Cheong-ryeong.

Snap!

“I said no!”

Then Iron Fan Immortal, who had been clutching her forehead, drew the whip at her waist and struck the White Ghost King’s wrist.

Crack! Whoosh!

Flames erupted where the whip struck, and the White Ghost King’s hand was deflected sideways.

Ugh!

The White Ghost King gritted his teeth and endured, trying to grab Cheong-ryeong.

He thought that since she was under a technique, mistress Iron Fan Immortal would interfere with him anyway.

However, Cheong-ryeong had also honed her martial arts again after reincarnating, reaching the pinnacle-stage of the Transformation Realm.

Even though she was pregnant, she wasn’t someone who would be easily caught.

Cheong-ryeong quickly used her movement technique and flew backwards.

Snap!

Having missed her, the White Ghost King tried to leap with a terribly twisted expression.

“You insect!”

However,

Boom! Whoosh!

A wall of fire erupted right in front of him, creating a wall of flames, forcing him to stop.

The fire wall didn’t stop there but pushed towards the White Ghost King.

Knowing well that her flames were no ordinary ones, the White Ghost King stepped back, took a deep breath, and exhaled with his mouth pursed.

“Phooo! Whoosh!”

A whirlwind arose from the White Ghost King’s mouth, creating a hole in the huge fire wall.

Not missing this chance, the White Ghost King leapt through it.

Having crossed beyond the fire wall through the hole, the White Ghost King looked around searching for Cheong-ryeong.

“Where did that human wench go?”

Snap!

It was right then.

As the White Ghost King turned his head looking around, his eyes fell upon mistress Iron Fan Immortal kneeling with terrified eyes.

Though he didn’t know when he had appeared, in front of her was a man with quite beautiful features for a human, holding that human wench in one arm.

When did he take her there? Ah!

‘It’s that human bastard!’

The White Ghost King realized that this man was the one who had used techniques on her, seeing Iron Fan Immortal’s unbearable state.

Thinking that if he just killed or captured this guy, the mistress would be freed, he leapt forward on all fours like a charging beast.

But then,

Whoosh!

As that beautiful man slightly raised his hand then lowered it,

Boom!

The White Ghost King was slammed flat onto the ground by tremendous pressure.

The White Ghost King’s eyes widened at this sudden event.

What is going on?

An unbelievably powerful force was forcibly suppressing him, a level of energy he hadn’t felt since his lord, the Great Strength King.

‘What is this guy?’

On the surface, he looked like just an ordinary human.

But to possess this level of energy, could he be one of the ancient immortals the young master spoke of? If so, this wasn’t a situation to recklessly charge in barehanded.

‘Spirit Demon Great Treasure, Snake Scale Armor[2]!’

As the White Ghost King raised his demonic power, the snake-patterned armor he was wearing glowed purple, and the muscles under his white fur swelled greatly.

Crunch crunch crunch!

The Spirit Demon Great Treasure, Snake Scale Armor.

It was the White Ghost King’s Spirit Demon Great Treasure, an armor that adapted to the opponent’s strength.

This armor could only be used by the White Ghost King, and it was the greatest treasure that had allowed him to survive even in the war against the ancient immortals.

Having adapted to the qi that was suppressing him with the Snake Scale Armor, the White Ghost King sprung his hands and feet and rose from the ground.

Bang!

As he stood up, the White Ghost King unwrapped and threw the red silk wrapped around his right arm.

The red silk fluttered as if alive, then spread out widely and flew towards the beautiful man, Heavenly Demon.

Whoosh!

This was one of the two treasures Hong Hae-a had given him, called the Heavenly Mixing Silk[3], an immortal treasure that could control water and seal opponents.

The flying red silk treasure, Heavenly Mixing Silk, tried to swallow up Heavenly Demon and Cheong-ryeong in an instant. But then,

Whoosh!

Pillars of fire erupted from the ground, pushing back the Heavenly Mixing Silk.

“Damn it! Mistress!”

The one who had blocked this was Iron Fan Immortal.

Having become Heavenly Demon’s spirit servant, she had developed a compulsion to protect her master regardless of her own will, so she had no choice but to instinctively block it.

Thinking this wouldn’t do, the White Ghost King decided it would be better to bind Iron Fan Immortal instead. So,

‘Heavenly Mixing Silk. Capture the mistress!’

At the White Ghost King’s command, the Heavenly Mixing Silk that had been pushed back by the fire pillars fluttered, then changed direction, dodging them and targeting Iron Fan Immortal.

In that gap, the White Ghost King tried to throw the rope at his waist towards Heavenly Demon.

This was also a treasure given to him by Hong Hae-a, a rope called the Immortal Binding Rope[4], created to subdue immortals.

[An immortal bound by this cannot exert immortal power.]

His young master had given this saying it would work even if the opponent was an ancient immortal.

The moment the White Ghost King grasped the rope, a brilliant five-colored light flowed from it, which was the energy contained in the Immortal Binding Rope treasure.

But just as the White Ghost King was about to lift it after grasping it,

“Iron Fan Immortal, take your own life.”

‘!?’

As soon as those words left Heavenly Demon’s mouth, Iron Fan Immortal, who had been blocking the incoming Heavenly Mixing Silk with pillars of fire, tried to pierce her own chest with her sharpened nails.

“Nooooo!”

Snap!

The shocked White Ghost King threw the Immortal Binding Rope at Iron Fan Immortal.

The Immortal Binding Rope, emitting brilliant five-colored light, flew and wrapped around Iron Fan Immortal’s body as she tried to take her own life.

Not stopping there, the Heavenly Mixing Silk also flew and covered her in that state.

Whack!

Having barely prevented her from taking her own life, the White Ghost King angrily rebuked:

“You cowardly bastard!”

Whoosh!

But as Heavenly Demon grasped his sword,

Woong!

An enormous transparent sword appeared above the Heavenly Mixing Silk, falling and cutting through the red silk.

Slash!

The utterly transparent sword was the Formless Sword.

As the Heavenly Mixing Silk’s fabric was cut by the Formless Sword, Iron Fan Immortal’s figure bound by the Immortal Binding Rope was revealed, but she easily broke free of it with her strength.

Crack crack crack!

This was because the Immortal Binding Rope was originally a treasure for subduing immortals.

There was no way Iron Fan Immortal, who had no immortal power, would be bound by it.

As Iron Fan Immortal, having broken free, tried to pierce the center of her chest with her hand again, the White Ghost King leapt and grabbed both her arms.

Whack!

“Mistress! Stop!”

Despite the White Ghost King’s cry, Iron Fan Immortal tried to forcibly make her demonic power go berserk to carry out Heavenly Demon’s order.

Crunch! Crunch!

Iron Fan Immortal’s blood vessels all over her body turned black and stood on end. Bewildered by her unceasing actions, the White Ghost King shouted towards Heavenly Demon:

“P-please stop!”